Plumbing a long run under my house?

[jhampton_wsu]

I currently have a 90 gallon in the middle of my house. It is a rambler. Now the sump is in the stand. I want to add a chiller but I would rather have it in the garage. I was thinking of moving the sump to the garage for this. My tank is drilled in the bottom and I currently have the bulk heads hooked up to with the barbed fittings 3/4" ID for the return and
1 1/4" for the drain line. It would need to be plumbed this back into my wall down under my house with a straight run about 20ft then back up the through the wall and out into my sump. My question is, would all the 90 degree angles on my drain line mess things up? Plus since I would be dropping down under the house and then coming back up about 3 feet I'm worried that my drain water would not flow right...any thoughts?

 

[austinsdad]

Each 90 degree fitting, 45 degree, the vertical stretch will decrease your flow rate. Not to mention the long 20ft run. A big pump might not yield but 50% of its GPH flow rate. Reef Central has a flow calculator I've used. The calculation asks for the pump model, fitting size, vertical run, size of the pipes, # of bends (90 or 45 degree), and etc to provide flow rate estimates.

 

[Fireworks]

Increasing the size of the pipe may help overcome the loss from the fittings and the long run. Maybe try 1 1/4" supply and 2" return or even {and I hate to suggest it } flexible tubing so you end up with less hard bends.

 

[jim692]

or even {and I hate to suggest it } flexible tubing so you end up with less hard bends.

I disagree on the flexible tubing. The friction loss through any type of flex tube is always higher than if you hard piped it.(3x to 10x higher) Only use flex in areas that could not be run in hard pipe, to reduce vibration from a pump, in an area where not having a joint would be a benefit, or where joining to lines that are skewed from each other.

Also the flow rate (GPH/GPM) of the pump you use will be less important than the rated pressure of the pump (PSI/feet of head)(231fthd=100psi)

Don't put the pipe in an area that is subject to freezing. If you do, insulate or possibly heat trace it with an automatic thermostat. Remember to account for the extra water in the pipe for your tank and sump overflow area in case of a power outage.(don't want a flood) Also, a drain valve on the lowest section of pipe is always a good idea for cleaning or repairs.

Use a friction loss calculator for the run to see if you need to up size the pipe diameter or get a higher pressure pump.
Reef Central Online Community
You can most likely use the same bulkheads on the tank just up size the pipe (if necessary) as close to them as possible.
good luck

 

[SparKy697]

I disagree on the flexible tubing. The friction loss through any type of flex tube is always higher than if you hard piped it.(3x to 10x higher) Only use flex in areas that could not be run in hard pipe, to reduce vibration from a pump, in an area where not having a joint would be a benefit, or where joining to lines that are skewed from each other.

Also the flow rate (GPH/GPM) of the pump you use will be less important than the rated pressure of the pump (PSI/feet of head)(231fthd=100psi)

Don't put the pipe in an area that is subject to freezing. If you do, insulate or possibly heat trace it with an automatic thermostat. Remember to account for the extra water in the pipe for your tank and sump overflow area in case of a power outage.(don't want a flood) Also, a drain valve on the lowest section of pipe is always a good idea for cleaning or repairs.

Use a friction loss calculator for the run to see if you need to up size the pipe diameter or get a higher pressure pump.
Reef Central Online Community
You can most likely use the same bulkheads on the tank just up size the pipe (if necessary) as close to them as possible.
good luck

I agree 100% with Jim, with one addition. Be aware of the relative height of your tank vs your sump. During a power outage, these two levels will equalize. As Jim pointed out, the water in these lines will be part of this. You could find yourself with not enough capacity in the sump to handle all of this water. Or worse yet if the tank ends up being so much lower than the sump that the water from these lines finds it's way back to your main tank.. Wet carpet is no fun.

A simple tool might be a water level. Basically a ling piece of clear 1/2" tubing. Fill the tube with water and place one end of it at the top of your main tank. Take the other end to where you plan on putting the sump. The level of water in each end of the tube will be the same elevation as the other. This gives you a level point of reference that you can use to help determine what elevation your sump should be built at.

As stated, two things restrict flow in a pipe: Friction losses between the pipe/hose and transitions (fittings and valves) and elevation ( pumping up a hill). Those on line calculators do a good job of estimating losses to help you find the right pump. There is a pump out there for you... You may not like the price, but it's doable.

 

[CaptainAhab]

A check valve(s) would also be a good idea.

 

[melosu58]

Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.